Conventionally, there have been known a check-in service that information on near commercial facilities can be achieved based on a location information service which is provided by a business operator. The information achieved with this check-in service also includes a discount or privilege item such as a coupon and etc. besides mere store information. This location information service is performed by specifying the location of a user carrying a portable information terminal via a network environment such as GPS (Global Positioning System) and Wi-Fi (registered trademark).
Moreover, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses an information providing system, which allows information around a station to be sent to a portable information terminal at the time of the entrance and exit of an automatic ticket gate, using the portable information terminal with a radio tag chip, carried by a user and a reader writer connected to a server mounted in the automatic ticket gate. Specifically, when the user passes the ticket gate of the station, information which would be necessary to the user on the street, including a map of the station and neighborhood, a department store, a coupon, and etc. is transmitted to, and displayed on the portable information terminal.